Subject:
Title
Amendment to the Advanced Life Support First Responder Agreement with 4 municipalities and independent fire districts.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Sitting as the Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services Authority, approve the amendment to the Advanced Life Support (ALS) First Responder Agreement with 4 municipalities and independent fire districts.
• Amendment to Agreements with 4 municipalities and fire districts to provide ALS First Responder services.
• These amendments continue the two-year term beginning on October 1, 2022, and ending on September 30, 2024.
• The agreements are a consolidated and restated agreement that incorporates prior amendments and the current amendments as outlined below.
• Funding in the amount of $7,467,122.00 is consistent with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Proposed Budget for the Emergency Medical Services Fund. Should the budget not pass with sufficient funding, these agreements will need to be revisited.
• In aggregate, the 4 agreements represent a baseline increase of $288,975.00, or 4.2%, over FY22-23.
• Specific enhancements include:
a.) Safety Harbor - Medic 53 Pilot Project
b.) Tarpon Springs - Rescue 69
c.) Traffic Preemption Project
d.) Requirement for Criminal Justice Information System compliance to support the Pinellas Regional Information Management Enterprise Computer Aided Dispatch System project
Authorize the Chairman to sign and the Clerk of the Circuit Court to attest.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
Summary
The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Authority has determined that an Advanced Life Support First Responder component is in the best interest of public safety, health, and welfare.
The EMS Authority desires to contract with various municipalities and independent special fire districts in the County to provide ALS First Responder Services per the attached agreements.Body
Background Information:
On October 25, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners, sitting as the EMS Authority, approved the current ALS First Responder Agreement with 18 municipalities and independent fire districts.
The current agreement will expire on September 30, 2024.
The proposed amendments would implement system enhancements and adjust funding to meet budget requests that complied with the County’s EMS allowable cost standards.
There are several enhancements to the ALS First Responder Program contained in the attached agreements. Those enhancements include:
a.) Safety Harbor - Contractor to provide one position and Authority to provide funding for second position to staff Medic 53 as a peak demand Unit 40-Hours per week as a pilot project for one year.
b.) Tarpon Springs - adds one Authority Funded 24 hour/7 day per week position to staff Rescue 69, mid-fiscal year. City will continue to operate Squad 69 as a Contractor Funded ALS Unit.
c.) Traffic Preemption Project - Capital Project in coordination with County Public Works. System will enhance safety and decrease emergency response times. Traffic Preemption overrides the normal operation of traffic signals during the emergency response of a Fire Rescue or Ambulance to reduce Emergency Response Times and increase safety. Such system changes the upcoming traffic signal to green or holds a green signal so the emergency vehicle can proceed through the intersection. New contract requirement.
d.) Implements a requirement for Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) compliance to support the Pinellas Regional Information Management Enterprise (PRIME) Computer Aided Dispatch System project.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding Adjustments
Section 701(h) of the Emergency Medical Services ALS First Responder Agreement provides for an extraordinary budget increase which must be negotiated and approved prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year in the event any proposed budget submitted by the Contractor should exceed 3 percent of the prior Fiscal Year’s budget. These funding adjustments include:
Allowable EMS Cost Increases over 3.00%
• East Lake - $94,292.00 or 4.8%
• Pinellas Suncoast - $82,427.00 or 4.0%
• Tarpon Springs - $85,772.00 or 4.9%
These increases are based upon the submitted budgets for FY23-24 and will be subject to audit for EMS Allowable costs. The cost drivers are driven largely by increases in salary, retirement contributions based upon recent changes in actuarial assumptions, and other increased allowable costs.
System Enhancements
• City of Safety Harbor - addition of Medic 53 Pilot Project - $100,000.00
• City of Tarpon Springs - addition of Rescue 69 - $235,879.00
Total = $335,879.00
Funding in the amount of $7,467,122.00 is consistent with the FY23-24 Proposed Budget for the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Fund. The fiscal impact of these agreements is sustainable over the 6-year EMS Fund forecast period.
Staff Member Responsible:
James G. Fogarty, Director, Safety and Emergency Services
Partners:
East Lake Tarpon Special Fire Control District
Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District
City of Safety Harbor
City of Tarpon Springs
Attachments:
ALS First Responder Amendment 1 - East Lake
ALS First Responder Amendment 1 - Pinellas Suncoast
ALS First Responder Amendment 1 - Safety Harbor
ALS First Responder Amendment 1 - Tarpon Springs
2022 ALS First Responder Agreement - East Lake
2022 ALS First Responder Agreement - Pinellas Suncoast
2022 ALS First Responder Agreement - Safety Harbor
2022 ALS First Responder Agreement - Tarpon Springs
EMS Advisory Council Recommendation Letter